The PTI government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is once again not able to utilise its total allotted budget due to KP government organisations failing to initiate projects. The government should not return these funds back to the centre and instead should utilise them in upgrading KP farms, helping them increase farm yield and reduce water usage.
Drip irrigation is a method of supplying water to farms using pipes, an agriculture technology that results in 50% increase in farm yield, 60% reduction in water use and 40% reduction in fertiliser use. All resulting in higher food production, more income for farmers and reduction in poverty for the region.
The PTI government should create a company with the goal to promote drip irrigation across KP. The organisation will provide drip irrigation training and equipment to farmers on credit. Once the drip irrigation equipment is installed at a farm, the organisation will monitor and guide the farmer on its usage. It will also monitor the yield of the farm, before and after installation of drip irrigation to show the benefits to the farmers and general public.
All the unused budget can be utilised to procure drip irrigation equipment via a long term supply tender. The equipment will start providing benefits within 4-6 months after installation at the farms and the farmer will be able to easily pay for the equipment as his farm yield will increase. The companies secondary goal will be to conduct research on drip irrigation in collaboration with universities to help promote its use.
This way the unused allotted budget can be positively used in KP and with the installation of new agriculture technology across KP farms, the government will be able to increase the revenue of the farmers, resulting in increased food production and reduced poverty. The farmers of KP cannot afford new technologies and these funds will help them upgrade their farms.
ENGR SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar